Knight and Dragon: Themes of Greed and Envy
by Violetlight
Summary: Tales of two Sins defined by their desires - for power, for vengence, for each other. The stories of Envy and Greed that won't fit into "Wheels", but aren't quite long enough for oneshots, still deserve to be told.
1. 1 Spite

**Fullmetal Alchemist**

**Knight and Dragon: Themes of Greed and Envy**

by Violetlight

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist, in any of its incarnations. That pleasure belongs to Hiromu Arakawa and Square Enix. I am borrowing their universe and characters for entertainment purposes only.

Author's Note: Previously, I had had a rather low opinion of these "Theme Challenges" that seem to be quite popular in fan fiction lately. I thought they were little more than attention grabs by lazy writers who couldn't be bothered to write anything more substantial. However, my opinion changed as soon as I read "Beauty and the Beast: 100 Edvy Themes" by the originator of the subgenre, Moonlit Water Sunny River. In contrast to being lazy, anthologies like his can actually serve a useful literary purpose, giving a venue to ideas, plot points and alternative writing styles that an author might have, but might not fit into his or her larger works. When Moonlit and Fairyboydammit brought a theme to my attention that better suited my own writing tastes, well ... how could I say no?

Anyway, most of these themes will fit into my "Wheels Within Wheels" personal fanon, though some may not. If I don't outright say otherwise, assume that they are in fanon with the rest of my FMA stories - so Brotherhood universe, Envy faked its suicide, and had a past relationship with Greed about 100 years before the series. Most of these will also **not** be yaoi (fem!Envy), and some themes will have sexual content.

Anyway, sorry for the lengthy A/N. In short, Greed x Envy needs more love! (Pun completely intended!)

* * *

**1. Spite**

_I can't believe you'd be this disrespectful! You're going completely against Father's Plan! I expected it from **him**, but not from you, Envy! I taught you better than that!_

Ugh, why can't I get that little Prick's voice out of my head, especially when _he_ isn't the prick I'm interested in right now?

_Greed and Lust were made for each other – like two halves of the same homunculus, rather than individual wholes ..._

Yeah, well one "half" seems to have other ideas – that isn't his Ultimate Shield I'm feeling against me!

_You and I aren't trapped by our lesser siblings' needs for ... companionship. We're the true expressions of Father's power! Isn't that better than some silly emotions or disgusting acts?_

_Define 'disgusting'_. Ah, the look on his face, so shocked, so twisted ... well, not as 'twisted' as Greed's is right now, but still! I'll have to remember that one!

_Hey Pride, remember when we first played 'spy on the siblings', and you gave that little lecture about just why they were doing it? You know what I was thinking then, while you were busy listening to the sound of your own gums flapping? I was thinking, "that looks fun – I want to try!"_

Pride then gave that look I especially hate, that head-shaking, condescending look, made all the worse from coming from some 10-year old brat. _You're supposed to be better than that, Envy. All your power, and you waste it on jealousy ..._

_At least I'm not too proud to admit **my** sin. And, come to think of it, I got off easy. I'm not the one stuck in the body of some prepubescent pest ... always watching the two of them ... the constant reminder ..._

_What are you talking about? _He seemed calm, but his flailing shadows, as always, gave him away. Really Pride, you honestly think you can fool me?

_You don't think I know jealousy when I see it? The way you glare at Greed ... how whenever he's casual, like when he calls Father 'Pops', that little twitch appears in the corner of your eye ..._

_It does not!_

_How you're always going out of your way to bitch at him, to police him more than me and Lust and Sloth and Gluttony put together!_

_Shut up, Envy!_

_Cuz he's a walking reminder of **your** failure. **You** couldn't help Lust deal with her sin, so Father had to make **him**. _

_I'm ... it's not ..._ It's so funny when he stutters! _You weren't there! You don't know! Besides ... _ah, here come the self-delusions! _Father made Lust and Greed to be together, he had other Plans for me, and, strangely enough, for you too. You should know that! You ... carrying on with ...with him! It goes against Father's Plan!_

_I seriously doubt creating a 50-million soul Philosopher's Stone has fuck all to do with whoever any of us screw. _

_That's beside the point!_

_Is it? Go ask Father then. I'll wait here for the pieces of you to come flying out for 'wasting my time with such trivial matters' _I used Father's voice there – probably shouldn't have, but how could I resist?

_Envy. _He practically whispered my name there, and his shadows were nowhere in sight. Yeah, he was pissed. Seriously pissed, like shove-his-shadows-through-my-eyes pissed. It's not often I can wind Pride up that badly. There's a science to it, an art to peeling away those layers of arrogance and self-righteousness, to seeing the fuming monster lurking inside Daddy's Precious Little Perfect Prick.

_No, no Pride, don't mind me. Go ahead. _I then took the form of our dear sister. _I'll kiss you better._

Every cut, every slash, every moment of regeneration after ... it was worth it just to see him squirm! Whatever Father might have "intended" (and I really don't think he gives a damn), Greed is mine now! And there's nothing, _nothing_ that Pride can do about it!

I can't help but grin. Greed notices, and thinks – of course - it's because of what _he's_ doing. Meh, whatever. As long as he keeps – ah yeah! – doing _that_ - he can think whatever he wants.

* * *

A/N: Okay, there's my little experiment in first person and shifting perspectives! (Hope I didn't completely screw that up). Also, this theme references the seventh chapter of my main FMA fic, "Wheels Within Wheels", which goes into more detail about Pride and Envy's student/teacher relationship.


	2. 2 Second Chances

**Fullmetal Alchemist**

**Knight and Dragon: Themes of Greed and Envy**

by Violetlight

* * *

**2. Second Chances**

"He's going to make a new homunculus," as Envy confirmed what even somebody of the Pipsqueak's dubious intelligence should have known, it couldn't help but chuckle inwardly at the look on the Elric Brothers' faces, as they struggled futilely beneath its claws - yes, even the Tin Can's. He was not as void of emotion as he might have seemed to those without a shapeshifter's eyes for detail. It was almost worth the trouble they had been; almost worth Father paying more attention to _them_, when Envy – Father's own child! – had been the one lying on the floor, shaken from its trip through the Gate ...

Almost.

Still, it was feeling rather good, all things considered, having tricked the Pipsqueak into getting it out of the hell that was Gluttony's stomach. It might as well humour the humans a little more; see what other faces they would make.

"The stone is added into the bloodstream. If it is able to merge, then a human-based homunculus is created," Envy continued. "But it's more common for the stone to overpower the subject and kill them."

That little fact certainly pissed the Pipsqueak off! He started yelling something; Envy didn't pay too much attention as to what. It was probably just some random crap about friendship or other such human garbage. Even when Edward held a gun (where had he got that from, and why was he bringing it out _now_? Stupid human …) to its soul-covered flank, all Envy could do was taunt, only half paying attention, "Can you really shoot such a sad face? Can you boy?"

No, what held Envy's attention was the Stone that Father now held over that annoying Xingese brat. What surprised Envy was said brat's reaction. He actually _smiled_! "Don't' shoot, Ed. This is exactly what I want, so you just stay out of it!" It was a wicked, avaricious smile, so out of place on a human … almost like …

_Don't be an idiot, Envy! Don't get your hopes up. There's no way that Father would bring __**him**__ back, not after what he did._ The humans continued yelling a few other things back and forth; their words might as well be sewer rats squeaking, for all Envy cared.

Father, however, seemed to think differently, much to Envy's unspoken annoyance. "Well, this is new, but we'll see if your body is as willing as your mind," with those calm word, Father dropped the Stone into that convenient little cut on the brat's face.

As Gluttony moved back from where he had been pinning the brat down, obviously disappointed for having missed a potential meal, Envy watched the Xingese brat - what was his name? Ding? Ping? It didn't matter now – writhe on the floor, still somehow having a somewhat-coherent screaming match with the Pipsqueak as red alchemical sparks crackled around him. Envy, in contrast (and rather uncharacteristically), stayed silent, lost in thought. What would its new sibling be?

_Father said there would only be seven of us –Wrath was the last. I know why he'd make another now, but how, exactly? He doesn't have any "sins" left to purge, and I would have thought he'd need all the energy he has left, with the Promised Day so close …_

_Lust! That's it! He must be bringing Lust back! _Envy shifted on its haunches, startling itself with the thought, though it was careful not to loosen its grip on the Elrics._ Wrath must have found a piece of her Stone – I knew she wasn't gone for good! That jerk, making me and Glut think she was dea … she wasn't coming back. That's impossible, after all. We're homunculi …_

_Gluttony's going to be so happy, he'll probably cling onto her leg for a month! Wait … if that brat's going to be Lust's new host, that means Lust will be a guy. Huh. That's going to be weird. Well, at least __**I'll**__ get to be the girl for a change. Hey, maybe Lust will like being a guy. It's not that big a deal, and she was a little curious a couple of times as to what it was like …_

Envy cut off its inner dialogue, as the brat – no, its reborn sibling – stopped crackling and got up. Before Father could offer his customary welcome to his not-quite-new child, as Envy assumed he would, having witnessed it three times before, the Pipsqueak cut him off.

"Ling?" he asked. Envy had to scoff at his idiocy. What a deluded fool, to think his "friend" was still in there.

"What?" Envy's sibling – brother - got up and rubbed the back of his head, "ah, you mean the guy I took this body from?"

_That voice … that's way too deep to be Lust, even as a guy! No … it couldn't be … could it?_

Her brother smiled, a dark, familiar, confident grin, that Envy had thought for sure she would never see again. Her breath caught in her throat, as the bandages fell away from his hand, revealing an equally-familiar Ouroboros.

"Sorry, but your friend just checked out, and left Greed this body!"

_Greed? Greed! Yes yes yes yes YES!_

* * *

Author's Note: The possibility of Lust's survival that Envy mentioned is, sadly, not canon in my stories, but if you want to see one where it is, check out Tsukiko-Cifer's story, "An Icy Vessel" (which I've been beta-ing). Tsukiko is a talented new FMA writer; everyone who enjoys stories about both Lust and Olivier Armstrong should definitely give her a read!


	3. 3 Survival

**Fullmetal Alchemist**

**Knight and Dragon: Themes of Greed and Envy**

by Violetlight

Author's Note: Brotherhood AU. This theme doesn't fit into my personal canon (if you've read even the first chapter of "Wheels Within Wheels", you'll know why), but I wanted to try writing something cute and fluffy for a change, so here we go. Enjoy!

* * *

**3. Survival**

_Dragon's Pulse, what a mess!_

_Yeah, you said it kid,_ Greed agreed with the voice in his head. The last few hallways before he had caught up to Edward and the others had been … interesting, to say the least. First a room full of charred mannequin soldiers, then this labyrinth of tunnels, all reeking of burning flesh, _that Flame Alchemist guy's really been going to town._

_I wonder what pissed him off so badly? _Ling thought.

_Looks like we're about to find out. _Greed rounded the corner, to find the four humans he had been tracking standing still, a little further down the tunnel. Yeah, it was definitely them – only Ed would wear such a tacky jacket. Edward and Scar's backs were turned to him, with Mustang's cute little bodyguard – Hawkeye, was it? - aiming a gun at his head, from behind where Mustang stood in front of a line of alchemical spikes in the floor. Greed raised an eyebrow at the confrontation and moved to take a step back. There were very, _very_ few things that he did not want, but getting involved in other people's messes certainly fell into that category. That was, until he noticed that Edward was holding onto something …

Something that was _his_.

_Wha …what is __**that**__? _Ling asked.

Greed inwardly chucked. _I asked that same question, a long time ago. _Wait, did Hawkeye just say something about "executing him"?

Now that just won't do, not at all.

"Pretty speeches, you practicing for your future Fürhership?" Greed interrupted as he stepped out of the shadows.

"Greed?" Ed turned around to face him, as the little green monster clutched in his automail fist gasped. Greed smirked. He never thought he would render _her_ speechless, but, hey, nothing is impossible.

"Stay out of this, homunculus," Mustang growled.

"Sorry, no can do. You see, what you four are so casually discussing killing belongs to me, and I don't like people messing with my stuff." Greed's casual tone darkened, as he slid his Ultimate Shield up over his hand, just to get it through the humans' thick skulls that he meant business. "Hand her over, Ed."

"Her?" Ed looked down at his hand in surprise. "You mean, that girl you were going on about back in Risenbool was …?"

"Yeah. Now hand. Her. Over." Greed repeated.

"Don't do it, Fullmetal," it looked like Mustang was going to be stubborn. "If you think I'm going to let that little murderer get off scott free just because your monster friend says so, you have another thing coming."

"Monster? Ha! Typical human. Have you been listening to anything that's been said for the last five minutes? Go ahead Mustang, stand there and tell me that hundreds of Ishvalans weren't barbequed just like those mannequin soldiers back there. Then there's you, Hawkeye, how'd you get that name again? By blowing people's heads off at 500 meters? And his reputation speaks for itself." Envy pointed one little green finger at Scar. "The Pipsqueak's the only one here whose hands _might_ be clean. But that doesn't matter, does it? Your own hypocrisy doesn't matter. It never has … not when dealing with us …

Greed sighed. "You never know when to keep your mouth shut, do you, 'Vee?"

At her brother's words, Envy remembered the state she was in, and tried to hide in Ed's fist. "I … I don't want you to see me like this."

Greed knelt down, his face level with Ed's hand. "You were born this way, my little monster. Remember? I called you an 'ugly little thing' and you bit my finger off."

"You …" Envy slowly poked her head up, her eyes widening. "You remember …?"

Greed smiled, and held out his hand. "I remember _everything_."

Envy hung her head, refusing to look at him and for a minute, she actually had Greed worried that she would not go with him, that her damn stubbornness would hold her back. _Come on, 'Vee, I've waited a hundred years for you. Don't do this to me again! _

He let out the breath he had not realized he had been holding, as those huge eyes turned towards him, filled with tears, "Oh Greed!" Envy jumped out of Edward's hand. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I shoulda left! I shoulda found you!" she wailed, and snuggled close against her lover's chest.

"It's okay 'Vee, it's okay," Greed just held her close, like he had wanted to for so long. Well, it wasn't exactly the way he had pictured – he had kind of hoped she would have had lips (among other body parts) when they were reunited – but it was close enough, for now.

"Um … uh, yeah …" Ed, clearly uncomfortable, backed a few steps away from the homunculi. "Shouldn't we be tracking down that Father of yours?"

"Yeah, the kid was just reminding me of the same thing." Greed said, as Envy crawled up onto his shoulder. "You guys go on ahead. We'll catch up, after I get 'Vee some 'lunch'. You didn't fry all the mannequins, did you?"

"Some escaped upwards, towards the surface," Scar said. When Mustang opened his mouth to say something, Scar continued, cutting him off. "We've wasted enough time here."

Mustang cursed under his breath, and half raised his hands, his fingers moving instinctually towards a snap, then he lowered them again. Instead he turned around, and stalked down the hallway. "Don't think I've forgotten what _either_ of you have done."

Greed was about to say something to that, but thought against it. He left the humans to whatever hell they were about to get themselves into.

_You __**will**__ catch up to them later, right?_ Ling said. The flat tone of his mental voice implied that he did not agree, at all, with Greed's decision.

_Of course. I can't exactly lie to them, now, can I?_ Ling did not respond. _Oh come on kid! You don't hear me bitching about Ninja Girl, do you?_

_That's a completely different situation._

_Yeah, sure it is. _

Let the kid complain; he'd get used to it. Besides, feeling Envy snuggled up against his neck, knowing he would be feeling her lips on his again soon enough … it was worth a little bit of silent treatment from the 'roommate'. Greed had what he wanted, and that was all that mattered.


	4. 4 New Face

**Fullmetal Alchemist**

**Knight and Dragon: Themes of Greed and Envy**

by Violetlight

Author's Note: This chapter's back within my personal canon. Really, it should have been "Wheels ch. 3.5", had I known back then about Envy and Lan Fan's fight in Central, featured in the 9th and 10th issues of the manga, but left out of Brotherhood. Thanks to A2D The Colourblind Zebra for letting me know about that little plot point! It may have been a minor part of the manga, but considering what I have planned for Envy and Lan Fan in Wheels (I'm not telling exactly what! :P) , it's a rather important detail to me.

* * *

**4. New Face**

Envy stared at the human face in the mirror, and frowned. Try as she may, she could _not _get used to this, those wide, dark brown eyes, the simply-cut black hair tied back into a bun, with her short, practical bangs hanging free. Ninja Girl's looks definitely left something to be desired. Where was the _creativity_? Humans prided themselves on that trait, one that Envy understood, in theory, but could not quite get the hang of, even after 175 years, and appearance was one of the things humans put so much stride into, especially the females. So why not this one?

"What are you staring at?" Ling said grumpily from where he sat crosslegged on one of the beds across the hotel room. He briefly turned his head towards the other bed, where May Chang lay, mumbling something in her sleep about her 'Alphonse-sama', before resuming his ironic vigil over his bodyguard.

Envy smirked. "You know, you can go to sleep. If I was going to take off with Ninja Girl's body, don't you think I would have already?"

"Lan Fan needs her rest too."

"I'm not some weak-ass human like you, or Ninja-Girl."

"I don't care. Don't you think I know how this works? Whoever's … in charge," Ling grimaced at those words, "that's a human body and it needs rest."

"Fine, whatever," Envy stalked over to Ling's bed and sat down on the side.

"Hey! I didn't mean here!"

"Shut up. You want to wake the bratling over there?" Envy pointed at May, who was spread-eagled across her bed, with her annoying little teddy bear snoring louder than she was. "Besides," the homunculus grinned mischievously. "Once Greed's back, you'd better get used to waking up beside me."

"Ugh, don't remind me," Ling sighed, and reluctantly shifted over, making room for Envy beside him. "I thought you were full of shit before, but come to think of it … yeah. He'd definitely go for someone like you."

Envy lay down on her side, and propped herself up on her elbow. "Well at least Greed taught you to appreciate the 'finer things in life', like his fine sister."

"That still sounds way too weird."

"Stupid human."

"Gross homunculus," Ling countered as he finally gave up and lay down beside her. "Speaking of weird things, just why were you staring in the mirror if you're so proud of the weird-ass way you usually look?"

"Guess I was wrong about the learning part. Looks like you still have to grow a brain, Prince Charming."

Unfazed, Ling continued. "Well, I guess I can't blame you. Lan Fan's so much prettier than you'll ever be, even with your shapeshifting."

Although she had tried to shove Lan Fan's consciousness to the back of her mind, Envy could not help but feel her host's reaction to _those_ words. Embarrassment, bashfulness … and sickeningly genuine pride. _Enough of that … _Envy thought, as she felt an oh-too-familiar feeling starting to simmer.

"Well, so what is it?" Ling asked, with a Greed-like smirk on his face.

"Will you shut up and let me sleep if I tell you?"

"Maybe."

"Fine," Envy sighed and turned away from the irritating human. "I can't shapeshift, okay? I'm stuck this way, and it's bugging the hell out of me."

Envy expected another smartass remark at that, but surprisingly, Ling was quiet for a few minutes. She turned back over, facing him again. "What, no snide comment? No 'oh, you poor little super-powered baby, reduced to one of us sniveling insects'?" Ugh, it just didn't have the same effect without the voice mimicry!

Instead of the mocking she expected, the Xingese prince looked thoughtful. "Greed's the same way," he finally said. "He didn't like me taking over, since I wouldn't be able to use his armour. Even if he wasn't using it at the time, he liked having the option open."

" … yeah. It's kind of the same deal, but not quite. Greed doesn't define himself by his shield. Shapeshifting though …" _it's all I have._

It was a hard thing to admit, even to herself. Envy did not have Greed or Lust's charisma, Wrath's strategical mind, Sloth's strength or Pride's cunning. But she did have her power. Every problem she had faced for her entire existence, she had been able to solve just by shapeshifting it away. Every life she ruined, every murder she committed, every Blood Crest she carved, she had got away with it all _because_ she was the Ultimate Mask. Her power had never failed her … until …

_Who are you? How did you know I was here?_

_First, you tell me … how many souls do you have inside you?_

That day … that mask-covered face … _she_ was the one who changed everything! Envy should have won! Changing into just another human in the crowd, then into a dog, all the tricks that usually worked so well were meaningless against this opponent! This mere girl, who saw through every form! Who stabbed Envy in the eye …

From that day on, it was just more of the same.

Marcoh, searing the souls out of her favourite, True Form, reducing her to a tiny little thing …

Mustang … even the face of his best friend couldn't save her from his flames …

Edward Elric. That little pipsqueak … realizing … _you're jealous of humans_. His golden eyes, full of pity …

Just like Ling's were now.

"You stupid little human maggot! You don't know anything about me! Don't insult me by pretending to!" She hissed angrily, only the annoyance of waking up the bratling keeping her from yelling. "You think we can be friends, just like Greed's fooled you into thinking he is? Ha! Humans can't be trusted, and you're no exception! I'm here for Greed, for my brother and him alone, and I really, really hope he smartens up when he wakes up, and gets rid of you for good! Like how Wrath killed his host! Like how I'm _quite_ tempted to kill mine!"

Ling's partially-closed eyes snapped open, with a dangerous gleam. "Don't you ever even _think_ that again, or I swear, I'll make you _wish_ I had given you to Mustang," he said seriously.

"Fuck you," Envy stalked back to the chair on the other side of the room. She stared at the face in the mirror. The face that had heralded the beginning of the end. The face that Ling was willing to fight for, to die for, even. Nobody, not even Greed, had ever felt that way about her.

That night, as the humans slept, Envy lived up to her name.


End file.
